Unit of insulation



Dec. 11, 1934. A. w. BABBITT UNIT OF INSULATION Filed March 4, 1952 TORNEY Patented Dec. 1 1, 1934 UNITED STATES UNIT OF INSULATION Arland Wade Babbitt, New Brighton, N. Y.

of insulating containers or compartments, used in the transportation or storage of, or preservation of food or other goods, while in transit from place to place, or in storage in a fixed place at an equable temperature, either hot or cold, in an air-tight container or compartment susceptible of perfect control as regards the moisture content or the chemical treatment of the air within the said container or compartment as may be desired.

The invention is an air-tight sealed unit in which a partial degree of vacuum is permanently maintained which may be used independently or in combination with other similar units to form a whole side or wall or to constitute the entire wall, or surrounding surface of an enclosure.

The object of the invention is to provide an insulating unit that is particularly adapted for railroad car bodies which eliminates the use of all insulating materials now in common use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an insulating material that is impervious to water,

moisture, air or gases.

Another object of the invention is providing a unit of insulation that'has a longer and unchanging life due to its homogeneous rigid construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide an insulating unit which may be wholly made of metal and can conform to any shape of surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide an insulating unit which constitutes in itself the entire wall so that it is not necessary to use siding or sheathing or any covering whatever.

A further object of the invention is to provide a unit of insulation that minimizes the harboring of vermin and that is also of such a construction that vermin can only adhere to the surface and cannot penetrate to the interior thereof.

And a still further objector the invention is to provide a unit of insulation that is of a comparatively simple and economic construction.

With these ends in view the invention embodies an insulating unit comprising an air-tight sealed container or compartment, which may have supporting means on the interior for spacing the walls thereon and preventing collapse.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:-

Figure 1 is a view showing a completed unit in one of its forms.

Figure 2 is a cross section thru a part of the unit working toward the ends of the supports.

Figure 3 isa detail showing one side of the unit with a portion broken away thru the valve cup.

1932, Serial No. 596,762

Figure 4 is a section taken at right angles to the section shown in Figure 2 with the parts of supports broken away. a

Figure 5 is a detail showing a section of one corner of the unit with the supports placed equidistant.

Figure 6 is a similar detail working on top of the comer of the unit in which the valve may be placed.

Figure 7 is a detail showing supports of another type.

Figure 8 is a detail showing an alternate joint between the sides and ends.

In the drawing of the device shown as it would be made wherein numeral 1 indicates a plate at one side, numeral 2 a plate at the opposite side, and numeral 3 plates forming supports on the interior.

The plates 1 and 2 may be rectangular as shown, or may be of any shape, size, or thickness and may be of any material. These plates may be connected by side members 4 as shown in Figures 2 and 4 and their edges may be welded or connected by bolts 5 as shown in Figure 2 or rivets 6 as shown in Figure 3, or connected in any other manner. They may also be crimped as shown in Figure 8 or attached with any form of a lock or lap joint. The edges of the plates may also be shaped. in any other manner as the edges of the side plates may be straight as shown in Figure 7 in which the side plate is indicated. by the numeral 7 and these plates may be bent from the plates 1 or 2 so that they will form flanges at the sides of the plates, also as shown in Figure 7 in which the bottom or top plate is indicated by numeral 8. It also be understood that these compartments or units, which comprise sealed chambers, may be formed in any other manner or of any other shape and may be made toform the entire walled surface of a container, compartment or room, as in a railroad car body in which the sealed chamber will extend continuously around the car body and across the floor and ceiling, with only door openings, and ventspassing therethru, and in this .case a door will be formed of a similar unit.

It will be understood that when air is withdrawn from the sealed chamber or the space 9 within the unit there will be a tendency for the side plates 1 and 2 to collapse and be drawn inward. The supports 3 aretherefore placed on the interior of the unit and shaped and arranged so that only very fine points will engage the plates v so that the heat or cold units through the unit by these supports will be infinitesimal. These supports are therefore formed with, flat plates, as indicated by the numeral 3 and from these plates points 10 are punched leaving openings 11 as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The points 10 are 01' a triangular shape and extend at right angles from the plates so that their vertexes, which form the points 12 will engage the inner surfaces of the plates 1 and 2. The supports 3 are arranged in pairs and positioned back to back with the points extending in opposite directions as shown in the drawing. The ends of the supports may engage the side plates 4 as shown in Figures 4 and at the points 13 and may be welded or connected to the side plates by any means, if desired, or by just touching as shown in Figure '7.

The supports 3 may also be formed in any other manner and may be of any other design. In Figure 7 an alternate type of support is shown in which plates 14 are used in place of the plates 3 and these are provided with points 15 at the edges which engage the inner surfaces of the plates 1 and 2. The plates 14 may be held in the proper position by a space bar 16 having notches 17 therein which may be placed over the plates 14 as shown. The ends of the plates 14 and the bars 16 may engage the side plates and maybe welded in place or attached by any other means, if desired. It will be understood however that the bars 16 will hold the plates 14in the proper position similar to the fillers of egg crates. vIt will also be understood that the points engaging the plates 1 and 2 may be provided and supported by any other means or in any other manner.

The unit may be provided as shown and after it is completely sealed the air may be withdrawn to form a partial vacuum by any suitable means. In the design shown an exhaust valve 18 is shown in a cup shaped member 19 which is mounted in an opening 20 in the plate 1 and this may be connected to a vacuum or other pump or exhauster so that the air may-be pumped out of the unit until a vacuum is substantially obtained. The pump may then be removed and the valve will automatically close and prevent air entering the unit. It will, be understood that this valve may be of any type or design and may be mounted in the unit by any other meansand also may be positioned in the opposite side of the unit or at any other point or points in the unit. I

A vent, as shown in Figure 3 may also be placed thru the unit, as in the case of a railroad car body it may be desired to pump hot or cold air into the car and also permit air to escape from the car. These vents may be formed in any desired manner and may be located at any point or points. In the design shown the vent is formed by a pipe 21 which passes thru the unit and has a flange 22 at one side, another flange 23 at the opposite side and a valve 24 also positioned at one side. The valve 24 may be of any suitable type or design and may be positioned at either side of the unit and operated by any means desired. The pipe 21 is placed thru a somewhat larger pipe or sleeve 25 which also extends thru the unit and is welded or otherwise sealed at the ends to the sides of the unit in such a manner as to form a complete air-tight joint thru which the vent passes. a. l

' The construction of the unit of insulation will tition may be formed independent of a wall or may be integral therewith as may be desired.-

The partition may also be formed with door, or other openings and the door or closure for said openings may also be made of similar units.

It will also be understood that whereas this unit of insulation is shown and described as a means of insulating in relation to heat or cold it may also be used in building-walls and soundproof walls and partitions if desired, so that it may be used for sound proofing. In this use it may also form a fire-proof wall, partition, floor or ceiling and in this connection it may be used as a covering or to form the entire structure.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of the invention. One of which changes may be in the use of any other substance or compound of substance such as hard rubber, glass,

\ porcelain, or other ceramic ware, in the construction of a unit. Another change may be in theuse of any other means for holding the walls of the unit apart, and still another may be in the use of other means for creating a partial vacuum in the unit. It will be noted that in this unit it is not only possible to create a partial vacuum when the unit is made, but the vacuum may be increased at any time by connecting a vacuum pump or the like to the valve, so that the vacuum may be restored at any time after the unit has been used or while it is in use.

I am aware that refrigerators and other containers are constructed of metal and have-metal surfaces lining their interiors for the purpose of protecting the insulating substances behind the said surfaces, and also for sanitary purposes, therefore I do not claim such combinations broadly.

Having thus fully described the invention what I-claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. The combination with a chamber having parallel walls with means closing thewalls to seal the chamber at the edges, of partition members comprising plates positioned between the walls with points extending from said plates and engaging the inner surfaces of the parallel walls inwhich the points are opposed and in alignment forming a direct strut from one wall to the other. 4

2. The combination with a sealed compartment having substantially parallel walls, of an intermediate partition positioned between said walls and having struts located back to back and extending outward from said partition to engage the parallel walls, said struts pointed at their outer or engaging ends. 1

3. The combination as described in claim 2 in which the partition is formed of bars.and the struts stamped from the bars and in which the bars are positioned back to back.

ARLAND WADE BABBII'I. 

